The invention relates to a device for cleaning a flexible hollow shaft of a medical instrument, the wall of which flexible hollow shaft is provided with openings.
A surgical instrument having a flexible hollow shaft of this kind is known from EP 0 986 989 A1.
The flexibility of the hollow shaft means that the instrument can have a curved design. The flexible hollow shaft is received in the curved instrument shank and its proximal end is connected to a drive mechanism which rotates the hollow shaft in the curved instrument shank. At the distal end, the hollow shaft is provided with a tool, for example a cutting edge or a milling head. The wall of the hollow shaft is provided either with a single winding opening or with a large number of openings, by which the flexibility is achieved. This opening consists, for example, of a meandering cut made in the wall and extending along a helical line. In this way, with a curved and rotating hollow shaft, it is possible for the openings on the outer face of the curvature to widen slightly.
As has been mentioned before, the hollow shaft in the medical instrument is used for removing tissue from a body or for milling a bone. Contaminating liquids such as blood or other tissue fluids come into contact with the hollow shaft. By way of the openings or slits in the wall of the hollow shaft, these contaminating liquids can penetrate into the interior of the hollow shaft.
When cleaning the hollow shaft, the latter is usually detached from the instrument and stretches out in a straight line.
For cleaning the hollow shaft, it is not just its inner and outer faces that have to be cleaned, but also the openings, in particular the meandering slits, the width of which is in the range of approximately 0.05 to 1 mm.
This has proven extremely awkward and difficult in practice.
It is therefore object of the present invention to provide a device for cleaning a flexible hollow shaft in a simple and effective way.